Sugar-free mooncakes are not sugar-free

This is the 2693th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

1. Are sugar-free mooncakes really “sugar-free”?

Although sugar-free mooncakes use sweeteners such as xylitol to replace the sucrose added in traditional processing, they are still high-calorie, high-fat foods and cannot be eaten freely. In addition, the mooncake crust is made of flour, and the main component of flour is starch, which will also increase blood sugar. In order to improve the taste, more oil is added to the crust during the production process, and the peanut oil, nuts, ham, and preserved fruits added to the ingredients also have certain calories. The so-called "sugar-free" mooncakes do not really contain "sugar".

2. Fresh meat mooncakes don’t contain sugar, right? Can I eat more?

The usual fresh meat mooncake is the Su-style mooncake. The mooncake crust is made of flour, the main ingredient of which is starch, which will also increase blood sugar. In addition, in order to make the crust crispy, more oil is added during the production process. It is also a high-calorie, high-fat food. Eating too much is not good for controlling blood lipids, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

3. The correct way to eat mooncakes

Mooncakes are still high in sugar and fat, so "tasting a little bit" is the right approach. From a nutritional and health perspective, it is recommended to eat no more than one mooncake a day. Of course, the amount can be adjusted according to personal physical condition and the size of the mooncake.

In addition, you can also eat mooncakes and stay healthy by cleverly pairing them together. After eating mooncakes, follow the following tips to pair your daily diet to achieve a balanced diet, control your weight, and prevent the three highs:

a) Increase the intake of vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits are rich in dietary fiber, which can delay and reduce the intestinal absorption of oil and sugar, and has the function of regulating blood lipids and blood sugar. At the same time, vegetables and fruits contain more biologically active substances, which have antioxidant, anti-cancer, and immunity-enhancing effects.

b) Whole grains/potatoes instead of rice/noodles

The crust of mooncakes is made of refined flour. After eating mooncakes, you can appropriately reduce your intake of refined rice and flour for the day and replace it with coarse grains/potatoes.

c) Drink tea

Tea polyphenols can dissolve greasiness and aid digestion, and have antioxidant and blood lipid regulating effects.

d) Drink soy milk

The flour in mooncake crust combined with the rich lysine in soy milk can improve the quality of protein and promote muscle building.

Author: Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Jenny Zhu